Until the End of Time
by JPM1978
Summary: Can Ali Castillo finally have true love in her life? Sequel to Ghosts from the Past.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Ali Castillo, Miguel Castillo, Ryan Rivera and Veronica "Roni" Tubbs belong to RedRose85. Check out her stories for more of their adventures!**

 _ **Ali Castillo**_

I sighed deeply, savoring the feel of Ryan's lips on mine. For four years I had envisioned this moment, and here I was at last. His hands ran up and down my back as we fell back on my bed, and boldly I wrapped my leg over him. A million thoughts ran through my mind. My parents were at work, school was done for the day, and although senior year brought with it more homework, it could certainly wait. But still I couldn't push aside the nagging notion that I had forgotten something. I wanted to focus on Ryan and only Ryan, the softness of his lips, the strength of his arms, the smell of his aftershave… but that little voice kept talking. What had I forgotten?

A door slammed downstairs followed by a voice calling upstairs.

"Ali? You here?"

Miguel. Damnit! He was coming home from college today, how could I forget?

Ryan and I froze and just stared at each other in horror.

"What do we-" Ryan began, but I clapped my hand over his mouth.

"Be quiet!" I whispered. "He hears like a hawk!"

Ryan looked confused. "Do hawks have good hearing?"

"I don't know, but he's a musical freak of nature… he can identify any note on the violin, I'm pretty sure he can hear you a mile away." I gave Ryan a gentle push toward the closet. "Now get in here and stay quiet!"

"But-" he protested.

"Shhh!" I ordered once more, sliding the closet door shut. Quickly I grabbed a brush off my dresser, ran it through my hair, and did a quick check in the mirror for smudged makeup. Finally, I took a deep breath, stepped out in the hall, and prayed to any god who would listen that Ryan would keep quiet. Ryan and I had been friends for years, and as much as I had a schoolgirl crush on him that whole time, I kept it hidden away. But in the last month, he had finally seen me differently. I was more than an awkward teenager, I was older now, on the precipice of adulthood. But still, he was 24. And my father and brother did not trust him one bit.

The overachiever that he was, Miguel had received a full academic scholarship to the University of Miami where he was in his second year studying psychology with a minor in music. Though he still lived in the same city, it had been over a month since I had seen him. He was taking a full course load and then some. And he was already researching law schools and studying for the LSAT. The way things were going, and with his college and AP credits from high school, there was a good chance he'd graduate with a bachelors' degree in another year, then he'd be off to law school. I often overheard my parents worrying that he was drowning himself in work, but he had always been ambitious.

As he came up the stairs, I noticed his face was cheerful but tired. He had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder which he threw on the ground before picking me up and spinning me around. "There ya are, little sis! I missed you, Ali!"

I hugged him tight. "I missed you too, big brother." And it was true. As much as he drove me crazy, he was still my best friend. "You're home early though!"

"Yeah, last class of the day was cancelled so I dropped Ethan off at May Ying's, then came here! I just couldn't wait to see my baby sister." He stepped away from me, smiling broadly he studied me critically. "You okay? You look a little stressed."

My mind flashed to Ryan in my closet. "Stressed?" I repeated nervously. "Oh, you know how school is."

He nodded with understanding, though I knew he still worried about me. It had been three years since I was attacked by Esteban Calderone but the scars still lingered. "I sure do kiddo, but next year you'll be in college. And believe me, it's a hundred times better than high school."

"True…" I put a hand on my hip. "And when are you going to have a real college party now that you and Ethan have your own apartment?"

His smile faded and once again he became serious Miguel, the overprotective big brother. "Ali, we're not 21 yet. And besides…"

I crossed my arms in front of me. "Oh come on, what's the point of having my brother in college if he's not going to take me to a decent party?" I teased.

He rolled his eyes and kissed my cheek. "I gotta run, I want to go surprise Roni a little early."

I laughed. "Well, she's going to be so happy, Miggy. I swear, seeing you is all she's talked about this week!"

"I'm pretty excited to see her too." His smile faded once more and he ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. "Damn, I must be the worst boyfriend in the world, not making enough time for her…"

I put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "She loves you, Miguel. Really loves you. I know you miss each other, but she knows how important it is for you to be a lawyer. And I know you'll be just as supportive of her with her goals."

It was true, despite how hard it was for me missing my brother, it had been equally difficult for his girlfriend and my best friend, Roni Tubbs. Even though I teased them from time to time, I knew they made each other happy. The way his eyes lit up when he was with her, it almost brought me back to those innocent carefree days before Calderone. And now I finally knew exactly what he was feeling, Ryan had brought light back into my life. But Miguel and Roni didn't need to hide their love from the rest of the world, and I still had to shove my boyfriend under my bed or in my closet so we wouldn't get caught. It was so unfair, but what could I do?


	2. Chapter 2

_**Miguel Castillo**_

It had been an almost magical night with my girlfriend, Roni Tubbs. We had celebrated our two year anniversary with dinner near the beach followed by a walk hand in hand in the moonlight.

"Is Ethan home?" She asked softly between kisses on my ear as I struggled to find the key to my apartment.

"Nope," I replied as I turned the key int he lock. "He's spending the weekend with his mom." I swung the door open and ushered her inside. "Which means we can watch any movie we want tonight on TV without him interrupting us to watch some boring basketball game!"

Ethan Thomas is my best friend. We went through high school together, roomed in the dorms our first year of college, and now we share an apartment near the university. And on top of that, my dad was once married to his mom, but we were able to set that aside. Having two undercover cops for parents, and a father with a weird mysterious past, I'm used to my life being out of the ordinary. But as much as it was fun hanging out with Ethan, I was looking forward to some time alone with Roni. It's hard to be romantic when your roommate is 4 feet away loudly munching Doritos.

Once we were inside Roni put her arms around my waist and pulled me close. "I don't think I want to watch a movie tonight."

"Oh no problem, Iron Chef might be on if you'd rather watch that?"

"No, I don't…." Her voice was sultry and she bit her bottom lip and she began to unbutton my shirt. "Miguel, I want to be with you."

Be with me? But she was already with me? For a minute, I was confused until I felt her hands move further south and begin undoing my belt buckle. Before I could answer she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me deeply, all while leading me to my bedroom where I began clumsily unbuttoning her top.

"Are you sure?" I asked, hoping my voice wasn't shaking. I didn't want to pressure her, I never had, but let's be real, I'm like any other guy. I had probably rehearsed this moment in my mind a thousand times over the past two years.

She nodded. "Two years is long enough. I love you, Miguel."

That was all she had to say. Together we lay back on the bed in a passionate embrace. My clothes flew in every direction. I prayed that Ethan, who had a pretty active dating life, had some condoms stashed in the bathroom. From the night table, my cell phone gave off an annoying, shrill ring, but I ignored it.

"Shouldn't you answer that?" She asked as I covered her face and neck with kisses.

"No… it's probably just Ethan, he can wait."

I quickly returned my full attention to Roni. As we kissed, I timidly slid my hand inside her shirt, and when she didn't protest, I was able to relax a bit. When she put her hand on my back and pressed me closer to her, my hand traveled downward, and under her skirt. She gasped when I touched her at first, but soon gave a satisfied sigh. When my phone rang again, I silenced it and threw it on the floor.

Then, there was a loud knocking at the door. I continued to ignore the interruption, but Roni seemed concerned. "Shouldn't you see who it is?"

"Don't worry, whoever it is can come back later," I mumbled breathlessly pulling her skirt down past her hips.

The knocking came again. "Miguel, what if the building's on fire or something?" She asked nervously.

I sighed and gave her a quick kiss. "Ok, don't move, I'll get rid of whoever it is."

She gave me a coy smile. "Hurry up, I'll be waiting!"

I threw on a random t-shirt and a pair of shorts, and tried to think of the most un-sexy things possible so that I would look presentable. Hurriedly I looked through the peephole on the door and groaned when I saw my sister Alison looking angrily back at me. I opened the door "Ali, what the hell you doing here?" I whispered through gritted teeth. I prayed she would make this quick and go away before Roni noticed her.

"I need to talk to you. Can I come in?" There was a hint of desperation in her voice, but I didn't notice right away.

I leaned in close and lowered my voice. "Now is really, _really_ not a good time, Ali. Come back later." I tried to shut the door, but she blocked it with her foot.

"Miguel? Who is it?" Roni's sweet voice called from my bedroom. "I'm getting lonely."

"Um, it's nobody, sweetie!" I called back to her. "Just a Jehovah's Witness! They're leaving!"

Alison rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. " _Now_ I see why you didn't answer your phone, you big jerk," she hissed, pushing past me. "Roni, it's me!"

After taking a moment to put her clothes back together, Roni exited my room looking concerned. "Ali! what's going on?"

It was then that I noticed Ai's red, tear-stained face. She ran into Roni's arms and began sobbing. Together they moved to sit side by side on the couch while I sighed and closed the front door. I loved my sister and was worried about why she had come here, but was an evening alone with my girlfriend too much to ask for?

"I don't know what to do," Ali sobbed. "Dad is freaking out about Ryan. He hates him so much and I just don't get it. Why doesn't he want me to be happy?"

"Sweetie, he does want you to be happy, but…"

"But he's worried about you Ali! Now you really should be getting home before Dad really gets upset, should I call you a cab?"

"Miguel Castillo!" Roni warned, turning her attention quickly back to Ali, gently rubbing her back. "Ali, what happened?"

"Well, I kinda told Mom and Dad that I was going to the movies with Lily from school.s But they didn't exactly know that it was a double date with her and her boyfriend… and Ryan was there too. But I guess Dad saw Ryan walk me to the front door. When I got inside, he was really mad and Mom kept saying she was disappointed that I was being 'deceptive.' So I stomped out. I tried to go see Uncle Sonny, but he wasn't on his boat, so here I am."

I jumped up from my seat. "You're _dating_ Ryan? Dating him? Alison, he's 24 years old! And you're 17! That's a seven year difference!"

Ali rolled her eyes. "I can do math, Miguel."

I ignored her. "What the hell were you thinking? Of course Dad hit he roof, what did you think would happen?"

Tears streamed down her face. "It's not fair! Look at you two. I know you're a great couple, anyone who spends five minutes with you knows you're perfect for one another. But you two have sex all the time and nobody makes an issue out of it!"

Roni fidgeted uncomfortably and looked like she wanted to disappear. "Ali, we haven't had sex." She said softly.

"It's true, Ali. Trust me," I grumbled. "Not that it would be anyone's business if we had."

With skepticism, Ali eyed Roni's tousled hair and wrinkled clothes and the t-shirt and shorts I had hastily put on. "Come on, you think I'd believe you two were having a Bible study over here? But whatever. You know what I mean."

"Ali, I don't think it has as much to do with sex as you think. Ryan has a reputation! I know he's getting his life together, but for a while he was getting drunk and picking fights in bars and Alicia accused him of cheating. Your mom and dad are having a hard time forgetting that." Roni pointed out. "And he's seven years older than you. Everyone probably wonders why he's not dating someone closer to his own age."

"I'll tell you why! It's because he's a world-class sleaze, that's why." I interjected.

Ali smacked me and addressed Roni. "But he's really improving his life, he's grown up in the last few years! He's working his way through the academy, staying out of trouble…"

Roni squeezed my hand. "It's true Miguel. He's really turned things around. You should see the new apartment he just got!"

"Wait, you've been hanging around him?"

She shrugged. "What? He gives Ali and I a ride home on Fridays. And don't you dare give me that look, Miguel Castillo. You look like a pouty toddler." I should have known better, nobody told Roni Tubbs what to do.

I sighed and turned back to Ali. "But lying to Dad and sneaking around behind his back is not going to get him to change his mind!" I pointed out.

Ali nodded and sniffled."I don't think Dad's willing to listen to me now." She focused down at her hands for a moment then back up at me with pleading eyes. "Will you go home and talk to Dad, big brother? Tell him I'm staying here tonight?"

"Oh dear God no!" No doubt Ali was Dad's little princess, but they both had quite a temper. I had come between Ali and my father's arguments a few times in my life and it never ended well for me.

"C'mon, big brother, please? If I go back tonight, there's just going to be a big fight, and you know how that goes.

I looked to Roni who sat beside Ali, the expression on her face told me I would seriously be in the doghouse if I didn't do what my sister asked. That was the disadvantage of having a girlfriend who was best friends with my sister, sometimes I felt like I was tag-teamed. I sighed deeply. "Alright, alright. I'll go talk to him. You guys coming?"

"Nah, we'll wait here." Ali said, putting her feet up on the coffee table.

Roni turned to Ali. "So? You guys went out? How was it? Tell me everything!"

"Terrific. Just terrific." I grumbled grabbing my keys and wallet, gave Roni a quick kiss and headed out to my car while Ali gabbed about Ryan.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Ali Castillo**_

 _ **1997**_

 _I ran into the house after a long game of tag in the park with Alicia and Roni. It was a hot Florida afternoon, but we didn't mind. Sweat poured down my forehead and soaked my hair, but it was worth it. I was sick of being cooped up indoors on these hot days, and a bit of running around was exactly what I needed._

 _"Mom! Can I have some juice? I'm so thirsty after…"_

 _My mother bustled by carrying a basket piled high with laundry. "In a minute, Ali. I have to get this wash done."_

 _I turned to the kitchen where Dad was flipping through pages in a bunch of file folders that were stacked on the kitchen table._

 _"Daddy!" I cried excitedly, throwing my arms around him._

 _He gave me a quick hug and kissed the top of my head. "How's my Princess?" He asked be for distractedly rummaging through more papers. "It was just here somewhere…" he mumbled to himself._

 _"Dad, can you get me some juice?"_

 _He walked right past me, and sighed impatiently, distracted by whatever was written on the paper in his hand. "Hang on, Alison. Why don't you ask Miguel? I have to get this report put together."_

 _I sighed. In the living room, Miguel was playing his violin. I guess the song was supposed to be "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," but it sounded more like our cat Marmalade screeching to be let inside from the rain. I almost giggled at the thought._

 _"Miguel, can you help me…"_

 _He groaned in frustration. "Ali, can't you see I'm busy?"_

 _"But Dad said…"_

 _"Busy, Ali! I've gotta practice before my next lesson!" He resumed dragging the bow across the strings, and the screeching began again._

 _I covered my ears for dramatic effect. "Fine! But I want earplugs for Christmas!"_

 _Why did everyone always treat me like such a little kid? I was 5 years old, not a baby! I could just get my own juice. Boldly, I went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Sure the container looked a little bigger than I remembered, but if Miguel could do it so could I. I lifted it over to the kitchen table and set it down with a thud, then climbed up on the counter to retrieve a cup from the upper cabinet. There! That wasn't so hard, I don't know why Mom was always on us to stay off the counters. Confident now, I unscrewed the cap, and hefted up the container. Wow, it was heavier than I remembered… slowly the juice began to pour, then faster… the rest was like a slow-motion movie. First it began to flow uncontrollably fast, then the cup tipped over, and what seemed like an ocean of orange liquid flooded the table- drowning my Dad's files._

 _I froze. Should I run? Should I hide? Before I could decide, my father was looming over me, staring in disbelief at the destruction before us. "Alison Elena! Are you responsible for this?"_

 _I felt tears sting my eyes. "Daddy, I…"_

 _"How could you, Alison? Didn't you listen? How many times have I told you…"_

 _Just then I felt a protective arm around my shoulder. "Hey! Don't yell at my baby sister!"_

 _I looked over my shoulder to him in shock as my seven year old brother defiantly faced our father._

 _My mother, probably having heard the commotion, grabbed a towel and began helping my father clean up. They both looked shocked, Miguel almost never defied our parents. "Miguel Christopher Castillo! Don't speak to your father that way!"_

 _"But Mom! It was an accident, it could have happened to any of us." He drew in his breath. "Besides, Ali asked me for help and I ignored her. It's kind of my fault."_

 _Dad sighed and squeezed his eyes shut. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. What would he do? He never, ever hit us, but he might yell again. Or take away our TV privileges. Maybe he'd send Miguel to his room? Either way, my brother's expression let me know he didn't care and was not backing down._

 _Instead he handed me a towel and Miguel a sponge. "I want both of you to clean this up while I print out a new copy of this report." His words were brief and firm, and he left the room._

 _As we scrubbed, my eyes met Miguel's and he gave me a half smile. "Thanks, Miggy."_

 _He shrugged. "No big deal. I got your back, Ali."_

 **2009**

And here we were, twelve years later, and Miguel still had my back, even when he really didn't want to. Last night he had reluctantly gone and stood up to my father once again, only this time it wasn't over a glass of spilled juice. I knew he hated Ryan Rivera as much as my father. He blamed Ryan for my being in the wrong place at the wrong time when I was attacked at the age of 14. And I know he still blames himself too.

All night long I sat on Miguel's couch wrapped in a blanket watching the minutes tick by on the clock. I made a few futile efforts at sleep, but it proved impossible. When the first rays of daylight peeked through the curtains, I got to work. At around 8 am, Miguel emerged from his room and was greeted by the smell of pancakes, eggs and bacon.

"Wow, something smells amazing! Ethan sure never cooks for me." Miguel's voice was cheerful but his eyes were tired and I wondered if he had been up most of the night too.

"Morning, big brother!" I greeted him. "Just a little thank you for letting me stay here. Ready to eat?"

"Yeah, I'm starvin'!"

He helped me find plates and silverware and finally we sat together. "So you never told me what happened last night. What did Dad say?" I asked, hoping my nervousness wouldn't show up in my voice.

"He was really, really mad, Ali. But I told him that you aren't going to give up on Ryan so easily ,and that next year when you're 18, he won't be able to stop you."

"Thanks, Miguel. For standing up for me. I really wish you'd get to know Ryan, he's a good guy."

"I dunno, Ali. All I remember is coming home that day and seeing my barely 14 year old sister hanging out with some 21 year old guy! You gotta understand why Mom and Dad and I don't trust him. What 21 year old hangs out with 14 year olds? I'm almost 20 and I sure don't."

"We were just friends! And our families go way back, his dad worked with Mom and Uncle Sonny."

"Well, I guess you're not 'just friends' anymore," he mumbled.

"You're right, we're not. But I'm not 14 anymore either."

He rolled his eyes. "Oh, like 17 is a big difference."

"It is! You said yourself I'll be an adult in less than a year. And Roni's my age, and you're almost 20. How's it any different?"

He remained silent and just pushed his food around his plate with his fork.

"So what do you say? Will you meet Ryan? Give him a chance?"

He sighed, pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "We'll see, Ali." He stood and pushed in his chair. "I gotta get going and take a shower."

I felt like crying all over again. With Ryan, I was happier than I had been in years. But I couldn't let our relationship tear apart my family. How could I make them see the truth?


	4. Chapter 4

**Miguel Castillo**

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

I was sitting at the coffee shop near the university trying to focus on my term paper, but I kept replaying my interaction with Ali that morning over and over in my mind. Why did I keep messing up with her whenever it came to Ryan Rivera? Sometimes I wished I could just go back in time and shut my big mouth. Still, I wished Rivera would just disappear from my, and Ali's, lives. But why?

"Hey buddy!" Ethan startled me out of my thoughts. He pulled a chair over to my table, turned it around and leaned over the back of the chair, facing me.

"What's up, man?" I moved my laptop and books aside to give him some room. "Don't worry, I left your dirty dishes in the sink. Didn't want you to miss out."

"Very funny. So what's goin' on? What did I miss while I was gone? You get some 'quality time' with Roni?" he winked at me.

"Not as much as I would have liked. Ali kinda had to take refuge on our couch last night."

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "What happened? Your dad can be a little scary sometimes, but when it comes to Ali…"

"When it comes to Ryan Rivera he's not very agreeable."

"Oh shit… Rivera? What happened?"

"They're dating! That's what parents are freaking out, and Ali's not backing down… she made me go over to try and smooth things over with my dad last night, but I dunno, man. I don't fully trust Rivera."

"You know I've never understood the whole Miguel/Rivera hatred. What''s your deal with him?"

"Are you kidding? I don't trust him one bit. Did you know he started hanging around her while he was dating Alicia Ballard? She's been hurt too damn much, Ethan. She needs to be careful." I shook my head and ran my fingers through my hair. "Besides, you weren't here when all this started."

But I was there and I remembered. I remembered every detail of that day, of the events that lead up to Ali's attack. And although it was nearly four years after the fact, I still acted as though it were Ryan who caused Ali to storm out of the house that day to her doom. But the truth was, I still went to bed every night blaming myself. And I'd probably do that for the rest of my life.

 _ **September 16, 2006**_

 _The day Ali was attacked, I had been the last one to leave the music room at Miami Beach Senior High after orchestra rehearsal. Lately the conflict between Ali and Alicia Ballard and Britt Wheeler was coming to a head, and somehow I got dragged into it too. Alicia's brother Jake had bullied me since we were kids, so that was really nothing new, but I still worried about Ali. It wasn't like her to get into fights. That day I was in no hurry to leave and risk running into any of Jake Ballard's friends leaving football practice, so instead I sat meticulously wiping the rosin off the strings on my violin and organizing my sheet music._

 _"Hi Miguel, you still here?" The music director, Mr. Tyler, was surprised to see me still there so long after the bell._

 _"Oh, yeah, I just had to wrap up a few things."_

 _"No problem. Hey, maybe go over your solo before the next rehearsal? You seemed a little off today, that's unusual for you." He paused a moment, as if he were deciding whether or not to ask a question. "I heard your sister was fighting with Alicia Ballard the other day. Is everything okay at home?"_

 _"Yeah, she's doing alright I guess." I was annoyed that my distraction was so obvious and I sure didn't feel like pouring my heart out to my teacher. I had been playing this particular solo for so long, I could probably play it with my eyes closed. Normally music was the only thing that allowed me to forget my troubles, but this time it seemed nothing would. Carefully I loosened my bow and placed it with my violin in their case. "I'll see you later, Mr. Tyler."_

 _I was relieved to find the hallway empty as I exited the room. Maybe everyone else really had gone home? I breathed a sigh of relief until I turned a corner and found myself faced with Jake Ballard who was flanked by two of his varsity letter jacket-wearing football buddies, Brandon Smith and Todd Davis. "Going somewhere, Miguel?" Jake asked while his two stupid friends snickered._

 _I knew this situation could get very bad very fast.. My father had taught me to defend myself, but I was seriously outnumbered here. I took a step back and held my hands up in front of myself. "I don't want any trouble, Jake."_

 _Jake made a mock-sympathetic face at me. "Aw, you don't want any trouble?" He approached me threateningly. "I'm doing you a favor! I just thought you should know that your little sister is the biggest tramp in this school."_

 _That was too much for me. Where did Jake get off saying stuff like that about Ali? Especially when everyone knew how much Alicia got around. I shoved Jake backward. "Don't talk about Ali like that!"_

 _Jake came back at me full force. The wind was knocked out of me as he grabbed me by the shirt collar and shoved me against a locker. "You lay another hand on me and my brother will lock you up so fast not even Mommy and Daddy will be able to rescue you!" He growled through gritted teeth._

 _Brandon laughed in the background. "They'd love a pretty boy like him in jail!"_

 _Jake laughed and nodded while I angrily struggled to loosen Jake's grip on my neck. "You know what your problem is, Castillo? You think you're so damn smart, but you can't even recognize a fact when you hear one. Do you know what happened today? Your bitch of a sister slapped me for no reason, then cut fifth AND sixth period to go mess around with a 21 year old guy!" Jake maintained his strong hold on Miguel but turned to his friend. "And Todd, what is the word for a 14 year old girl who messes around with 21 year old men?"_

 _"Well Jake, I believe the correct word is 'slut'," Todd replied._

 _"Correct, Todd! Too bad they don't teach important stuff like that in those fancy classes you take." Jake paused a moment and a cruel smile spread across his face. "I guess being a whore just runs in the family, your sister must get it from your mom."_

 _I was completely blinded by fury. "You liar!" I shouted furiously. I used all my strength to push Jake off him and shove him to the ground. Jake struggled to fight back, swinging his fist at me._

 _"Hey, break it up!" Mr. Tyler called, coming down the hall, and pulling me away. Jake and his friends scurried away like rats. "Miguel, your family's got enough going on. Don't let those guys get to you." Mr. Tyler patted me on his shoulder. "Besides, if you break your hand on that guy's hard head, I'll lose my first violinist!"_

 _I looked down and forced a half smile. "Thanks, Mr. Tyler."_

 _I turned to walk home and a horrible thought entered my mind. What if Jake was right about Ali? Was she seeing some 21 year old guy? She had been awfully secretive lately. Trudging down street toward home in the oppressive afternoon sun, I tried to push aside my encounter with Jake, but inside I still seethed with anger. After today, I was ready to get in the door and relax in front of some trashy reality TV for a little while before starting homework._

 _But as I approached the house, something seemed off. With two undercover police officers for parents, I was taught from an early age to be keenly aware of my surroundings. There was a strange black Trans Am parked in front of the house. Nobody I knew drove something like that, and certainly not my parents who were probably still at work. None of Ali's friends could drive, could they? Jake's words continued to nag at me as I walked up gravel driveway toward the house._

 _I picked up the pace of my steps and quickly turned my key in the front door. I could hear the TV in the living room and as I stood in the foyer, I caught sight of my sister sitting on the couch with some strange guy. And I couldn't tell for certain from where I stood, but if he owned the car in front, he had to be quite a bit older. My heart began to pound as I hung up my backpack and set down my violin case in front of the winding spiral staircase. I could just imagine my parents arriving home at that moment to find their precious princess sitting around with some older guy. And guess who would catch hell for that one?_

 _Ali had been different ever since starting high school this year. The week before, I had overheard her telling Roni how she had snuck out to go to some club, and now she had been skipping class. I wondered how much of this my parents knew. I suspected not much, and I didn't want to get Ali in trouble, but I also didn't want to see my little sister get hurt. As Ali and the other kids at school constantly reminded me, I was fairly inexperienced in the dating world. But I was wise enough to know that a 21 year old man dating a fourteen year old girl was a recipe for disaster._

 _Slowly, I walked into the living room. "Ali?" She and this mystery man were sitting on the couch, their backs to me, but Allison spun around as soon as she heard my voice._

 _"Hey big brother!" She greeted me in her usual chipper voice._

 _My eyes shifted from Alison to the guy, back to Alison. I didn't recognize him from school, and from the looks of things, he was much older than Ali. Maybe even past high school age. "What's going on, Ali? Who is this?"_

 _"Oh, Miguel, this is Ryan Rivera. Ryan, this is my brother Miguel," Alison casually introduced us, as if she brought older guys to their house every day._

 _"What's up?" Ryan greeted him. He stood and held his hand out to me, while I stood staring with my mouth open and arms crossed in front of my chest, as if I had something to say but couldn't force out the words._

 _So Jake was right? My mind was racing. I didn't even want to think about what my father and mother would do and say if they saw this little scene play out. I knew I had to get this guy out of the house before that had a chance to happen._

 _I ignored Ryan's hand which was still outstretched and instead turned back to my sister, taking an accusatory stance. "Alison, did you cut class today?"_

 _Her smile faded and she looked down at her hands. "Yeah. Jake was really bugging me, calling me names. It's gotten worse ever since that day in gym with Britt Wheeler. I couldn't stand to look at him for another two classes."_

 _"Ali, you know the rules. If mom and dad saw this…." I gestured to Ryan._

 _Alison rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, they made that stupid rule so YOU wouldn't mess around with a girl while they were at work!" She paused and smirked at me. "Not that they have anything to worry about anyway with you. Besides, Ryan and I are just friends!"_

 _Ryan chimed in. "Yeah man, don't worry, we're just hanging out. Ali is a nice girl, she just needed a friend to talk to."_

 _"She has plenty of 'friends,' she doesn't need a grown man like you. I know exactly what's on your mind,"_

 _"Stop it, Miguel!" Alison warned._

 _I felt my face grow red hot with anger. I could only hope my sister would listen before I really lost it. "Ali, he has to leave NOW."_

 _"What are you, my keeper? You're not Dad, you have no right to tell me what to do!" Alison stood up and faced me. Ali was so damn stubborn, there was no backing down now._

 _Ryan stood up and walked toward me threateningly. "Ali, you want me to deal with this guy? If he's upsetting you…"_

 _Who did Rivera think he was? Just showing up in my house, breaking my parents' rules, threatening me? I stepped even closer to Ryan, fists clenched at my side and my face only inches from Ryan's, almost daring him to hit me. "Why don't you get out of my house and mind your own damn business?"_

 _Ali sensed that the situation between Ryan and I was escalating to a dangerous level. She put a hand on Ryan's shoulder and gently led him away. "Don't worry Ryan, I'll deal with him. My brother just needs to learn some manners. I'll see you later, okay?"_

 _Ryan was hesitant, and eyed me suspiciously. "Alright, call me later, okay Ali?" Ryan made his exit, purposely bumping into my shoulder on his way to the door._

 _As soon as the door clicked shut, I lost it. I wanted to grab Ali and shake some sense into her, but I held back. "What is going on with you? First you're sneaking out, then cutting class, now bringing home 21 year old MEN! What's next, Ali?"_

 _Alison walked up to me, getting up close to my face, shoving me so hard I nearly lost my balance. "Who the hell do you think you are?"_

 _I held my ground. "I'm in charge when Mom and Dad aren't home, don't forget that I'm older!"_

 _"Oh yeah, two years older! You were probably still in diapers when I was born!" Alison shot back sarcastically._

 _I could feel the situation spiraling out of control, but both of us seemed helpless to stop it. My volume increased. "Ali, do you know what would happen if Dad came home and saw Ryan here? And do you think Princess Ali would be the one who gets a lecture? Of course not, it would be me, just like always."_

 _Ali crossed her arms. "That's bullshit and you know it. You know mom and dad think you're perfect and you're just afraid to ruin that. Ryan and I are just friends, I told you! Nothing was going on!"_

 _"Ali, I hate to break it to you, but when a guy that age is alone with a girl, he only has one thing on his mind."_

 _Ali smirked at her me. "Oh yeah? And how would you know? Miguel, you are such a bore, I bet you don't ever have those things on YOUR mind. You're sixteen years old! Have you even kissed a girl? Ever? The way things are going, you'll be a virgin forever."_

 _My mouth dropped open. Sure Ali teased me for not having much of a social life outside school and orchestra, but she had never been hurtful before. And she clearly didn't care if she got me in trouble with Mom and Dad. She had pushed me too far this time. "You know, maybe Jake is right. You are a promiscuous little tramp! What kind of 14 year old hangs around 21 year old men, Alison?"_

 _She froze in place staring at me, fiery rage burning in her eyes, burning right through me. Shoving me aside, she ran out of the living room, grabbing her shoes and purse from the front closet._

 _"Where the hell do you think you're going?" I shouted, stomping after her._

 _"What do you care? Fuck off, Miguel!" she screamed, running out the front door._

 _My heart was still pounding. Some little voice in the back of my mind said that my parents were going to murder me if I let her run off, but at that moment I didn't care and another side of me took over. I stood on the front porch and shouted at her as she ran down the driveway. "Hey if something happens don't come crying to me! You're going to get whatever you deserve!" he angrily shouted out the front door after her. As soon as the words left my mouth, I wished I could take them back. I'd live to regret those words the rest of my life._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Miguel Castillo**_

That night, I once again found myself alone with Roni in my apartment. I had brought Ali home earlier in the day, and other than some uncomfortable silence between her and our parents, I was able to make a quick exit, head off to work, and finally meet up with Roni later as promised.

That night when we got back to my place, we wasted no time. She anxiously tore off my clothes and her own as I made a mental note to thank Ethan for keeping condoms in the bathroom. I felt clumsy at first, but it was like an amazing, beautiful whirlwind. Although I was certain to be as gentle as possible, it was over faster than I would have liked. Exhausted, we lay curled up together, just enjoying the silence and catching our breath. And that was when we were interrupted once more by a heavy knock at the door.

"You think that's Ali again?" She asked.

I groaned in annoyance, quickly pulled on some clothes and walked to the door, hoping that this time, I could get rid of whoever it was quickly. "Ryan?" I whispered in surprise, opening the door just enough to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey buddy! Long time no see!" He slapped me on the shoulder and walked past me into the apartment just like we were some long lost best friends. "I was in the neighborhood and Ali said you wanted to talk to me about something." He paused a moment and tilted his head, studying me critically. "You feeling okay, man? You look all sweaty and worn out…." Just then his eyes widened as they focused on something behind me and his jaw dropped open. "Whoa, hey, I'm sorry, didn't know I was interrupting anything!"

I turned and caught sight of what Ryan saw. Roni was peeking out of the doorway of my bedroom wearing only one of my shirts, which on her petite body hung to her mid-thigh. It also looked sexy as hell. From the look on his face, I could tell Ryan thought so too and it made me want to smack him.

"Hi Ryan! How are you?" She greeted.

"I'm… I'm doing great!" he stammered. "Good to see ya, Roni!"

She gave me a quizzical look and retreated to my room, closing the door behind her.

I snapped my fingers getting Ryan's attention back to me. "Ryan? I'm over here. You were saying?"

"Oh, yeah, um, Ali was saying you went to talk to your parents. I really can't thank you enough, Mikey, for trying to smooth things over."

I cringed a little, I hated nicknames for myself. "Yeah well, I did it for Ali. She's been through enough and she deserves happiness. I just hope you don't let her down," I warned.

"Don't you worry, bro. Ali is an amazing girl, she's worth waiting for. I care for her, a whole lot. You trust me, right?"

I took a deep breath, knowing my answer was not the one he was expecting. "No. No Ryan, I don't. Not one bit." He looked shocked, as if I had physically hit him. "But my sister apparently does." I lowered my voice and leaned close to him. "So if you _ever_ hurt her, I _will_ make you regret it."

He nodded solemnly. I knew he hadn't forgotten that day in the hospital corridor after Ali's attack. Before that, maybe he had assumed that he could never be beaten by a 16 year old nerdy classical violinist, but in one swift move, I had proven him wrong. "Message received, Mikey, loud and clear." He held out his hand to me, and I shook it. "Catch ya later, okay?"

I closed the door behind him and sighed. Ali was totally taken by this guy, what if he did end up hurting her? Could she ever recover? Or what if he didn't and she became Mrs. Ryan Rivera? And he'd be slapping me on the back and calling me "Big Mike" while a bunch of miniature Ryan Riveras ran around for the rest of my natural life! I wasn't sure I could ever adjust to that.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Ali Castillo**_

What the hell was I doing? My first mistake was dating Ryan Rivera behind my family's back. Then, because that wasn't enough, I got caught, which was followed by a horrible awkward silence between me and my parents, and me getting grounded for two weeks on top of it. So of course the obvious thing to do to solve that problem, is to skip my last class of the day and head over to the University to get advice from my brother's roommate. Right? Sure. I just felt like I was digging myself a deeper and deeper hole, but somehow I just had to figure out a way to prove to everyone that Ryan and I were meant to be.

With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I really didn't look out of place when I walked into the student union at the University. I glanced nervously around me. The last thing I needed was to run into Miguel and have to answer a dozen stupid questions have him go tattling to Mom and Dad like a five year old.

"Ali?" A voice from behind me spoke. I practically jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Ethan! Thank goodness, I was looking for you." My eyes shifted around the room. "Is my brother with you?" I whispered nervously.

The corner of his mouth turned up into a smile. "Nah, he's in class. What's goin' on, lil' sis? Why aren't you at school?" Hi placed his hand gently on my back and lead me to a table where we both sat.

I took a breath to speak, but a lump formed in my throat and I couldn't force out the words before tears began to flow. I covered my face with my hands.

Ethan was startled and moved his chair beside me, pulling me close into comforting arms. "Ali, hey, it's okay, what's going on, kiddo? You want me to call Miguel?" He began pulling his phone from his pocket.

"No!" I yelled louder than I had planned, then lowered my voice. "I mean, no. I actually was hoping to talk to you."

He raised an eyebrow and nodded.

"I suppose Miguel's told you all about Ryan."

"Yeah, he has. Man, her really can't stand that guy!"

"That's the problem! I mean, it was fine when I was just friends with Ryan, and Miguel had his little whiny tantrums whenever he came around, but things are different now. It's amazing because I never thought I could feel this way about someone. Ryan is really my missing half."

"Ali, you're only 17…" Ethan pointed out.

That wasn't the first time I had heard that, but it did make me feel a bit defensive. "So is Roni, and no one questions what she and Miguel are doing! Yeah, I guess it could be over tomorrow, but I trust him, Ethan. There's no way I'd be with him if I didn't. If there's a chance that he could be the one, that someday we will be family, then Miguel and my parents need to accept him."

Ethan leaned back in his chair shaking his head. "Damn Ali, you really are fighting an uphill battle. Look, if the whole thing with Calderone hadn't happened after you guys were fighting about Ryan, I don't think this would be an issue at all. Everyone associated Rivera with that day, so now they need something positive to associate him with. Something significant."

I sighed. "I know you're right, but what?"

He shrugged and took my hand, looking down on me with sympathetic eyes. "I dunno, lil' sis. But we'd better think of something. That brother of yours can be a real stubborn ass sometimes. I should know, I have to live with him! Has he always had that weird… um… 'rule'?"

Huh? I was confused. "What rule?" I asked. Truthfully, Miguel had a lot of weird rules. Suddenly I burst out laughing. "Oh, you mean the rule that he can't speak or be spoken to when he's in the bathroom?"

Ethan nodded, smiling. "That's the one. I love the guy, but he can be a real weirdo. I mean, just the other day I asked him if I could have the last of the Lucky Charms and he got all upset!"

"Oh Ethan, you're going to have to learn that you do not come between Miguel and his Lucky Charms. Once when he used up all my shampoo, I picked out every single marshmallow out of the box as revenge. He sure blew his top!" I laughed at the memory, and it felt good to smile again.

"No kidding!" Ethan put a hand on my shoulder. "But as neurotic and overprotective as he can be, he loves you, Ali. But with him being away here at school, and you with Ryan, I think he feels like his comfort zone is crumbling a bit."

I nodded. Of course Ethan was right. But unfortunately, I was no closer to finding a solution than I was before. Feeling downtrodden and hopeless, I trudged home, my feet feeling heavier than usual.

"Well, good afternoon Miss Alison!" A feeble voice got my attention.

I looked up to see our elderly neighbor, Mrs. Harris, watering her plants. Her cat, Lucky, ran up to me and rubbed against my leg. I gave him a scratch behind his ears and he purred in delight.

"Hi Mrs. Harris," I replied.

"That brother of yours… Marco… I haven't seen him lately. I heard he moved away to join some satanic cult? Your poor parents…"

I smiled. Despite what Miguel would say, Mrs. Harris was a sweet, harmless old lady. She just was a bit forgetful these days, but I still remember her giving us cookies and lemonade on her porch when we were young. She had lived in her house forever, and my dad always remarked how kind she had been to him when he lived all alone.

"Oh no ma'am. My brother is away at college, he got a full scholarship to the University of Miami."

She narrowed her eyes. "So he'd have you believe." She eyed me for a moment. "What about you, dear? You seem a bit down today."

"Oh, it's nothing."

"This wouldn't have anything to do with that young man who drives the black car that I've seen around, would it?" I didn't answer, but I felt my face turn red. Her time-worn face broke out into a smile. "I thought as much."

"His name's Ryan. And he's amazing! He's sweet, smart, he listens to me, and really understands me, after everything that's happened in my life. I feel complete when I'm with him, you know?" At first I didn't think there was any way Mrs. Harris would know, but when she slowly nodded, I realized she knew exactly what I meant. And I wondered just how many things I didn't know about Mrs. Harris. "Anyway, Miguel and my dad hate him. They think he's too old, and can't be trusted. Sure, he's made mistakes, and I shouldn't be sneaking around, but he's totally turned his life around. He's almost out of the police academy! But they still hate him, and probably always will. I know it's my choice, but I hate upsetting my family. I don't want my relationship to tear us apart. I don't want to lose Ryan, but what choice do I have?" My vision began to blur with tears that I was too proud to let fall.

"Young lady," her voice was firm, as it had been whenever my brother and I kicked our soccer ball in her yard as kids. "I may be just a crazy old lady, but I've lived a long time. And I was young once too, believe it or not. I can tell you that you should never give up on something that makes you happy just to please others. You'll just spend your life regretting it. Your father and mother love you more than life itself, and if this man treats you well and is the person you are meant to be with, then they'll come around. All they want is for you to be happy. Give them time." She winked at me.

Wow, this was not what I had ever expected from our cantankerous neighbor. "Thanks Mrs. Harris, Thanks so much." I hugged her and ran into the house. For the first time in a while, I had hope. My family had to accept Ryan in time, I just hoped it wouldn't take long.


	7. Chapter 7

I pulled Roni close to me on the couch. The feel of her lips on mine was intoxicating, and almost made me forget about the noisy TV and the loud crunching sound coming from my roommate who was sitting four feet away scarfing down a bag of Doritos. Almost.

"Maybe we should go to my room." I whispered in her ear.

She glanced over at Ethan, who had his back to us, watching the basketball game on TV. "Ethan's here, wouldn't that be weird?"

"It's weirder to be out here making out with him in the room!"

She trailed her finger down my chest, which did nothing to take my mind off of potential physical activities. "C'mon, we should hang out with him a bit. Be social!"

Just then Ethan turned around. "Good game, right guys?" He grabbed a handful of chips and shoved them in his mouth. "Oh, where are my manners?" He tilted the bag of chips toward us. "Want some?"

"Oh, no thanks, Ethan!" Roni said sweetly.

"Suit yourself!" He turned back to the game.

As soon as he looked away, I leaned closer to her. "Please?" I gave her sad puppy eyes and slid my hand inside her shirt, gently tickling her side, making her giggle.

"Oh alright, you win." She winked at me and led me by the hand into my room. Ethan barely noticed us leave. In no time we were on my bed with our clothes scattered on my floor. It was a challenge to keep ourselves quiet, but luckily Ethan had the TV turned up pretty loud. I was rifling through my nightstand drawer for a condom, when my phone began to ring.

"Every damn time!" I grumbled. I reached on the floor, grabbed my pants, shook out my phone and glared at the caller ID. Ryan Rivera. _Why?_ I looked back at Roni who was sitting on my bed giving me a sexy look. I turned away and answered the phone angrily. "This better be a damn emergency, Ryan!"

"Miguel…". His voice was subdued and instantly I knew something wasn't right. He had called me by my name, not 'Big Mike', Mikey, or whatever ridiculous nickname he could come up with. Something wasn't right, and my suspicions were confirmed when he continued. "Ali got a little bit- um, hurt."

"Hurt? What the hell happened, Rivera?" The terror on my face and in my voice must have been obvious because Roni jumped up and stood at my side, grabbing my hand.

'What is it?' she mouthed silently.

"We were at my place and my neighbor's gun went off accidentally. And it kind of hit Ali."

"Shit, Ryan! Bullets don't hurt people 'a little bit'. Where is she?" The world seemed to be a blur, it was as though I was back in time to that day when Ali was attacked. And once again, Ryan Rivera was at the root of it all. Quickly I began throwing my clothes back on.

"North Shore Hospital. The doctor said-"

I didn't let him finish. "I'm on my way. And so help me, Rivera, if anything happens to her, I'll kill you with my bare hands!"

Roni was already dressed, and had her arm around me while holding my car keys with her other hand. "Don't worry, love, I'll drive."

The drive to the hospital was a blur, my hatred for Ryan was at full boil. I marched in Ali's room and shoved Ryan aside. She was laying in the hospital bed, looking so small and helpless. Her shoulder was dressed in a bandage. "Ali! Oh my God, are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm _fine_ , Miguel. My shoulder was just grazed, that's all! I'm going to be just fine!"

Roni tried to take my arm and spoke in a soothing tone. "Sweetie, calm down! Everything's okay!"

I spun around and turned my anger toward Roni. "Calm down? Calm down? My sister was shot! And all because of _him_!" I pointed an accusing finger toward Ryan who had sat at Ali's other side, gently holding her hand. His face was full of fear, as though I had physically struck him.

Roni crossed her arms and stared at me. I knew I was really in the doghouse now, but I was too angry to care. "Miguel? May I have a word with you? In the hall?"

"Veronica, don't you see what's happening here? _He_ …"

"NOW." She grabbed my arm and pulled me into the hallway, then pushed me away. "Just what the hell is wrong with you?"

"He could have gotten her killed, Roni!"

"He wasn't the one messing around with a gun, it was his neighbor! It was a freak accident!"

"The only freak here is _him_! Everywhere he goes, trouble follows! What's going to happen next time?"

"You're really, tryin' my patience here, Miguel Christopher. It was an _accident_! It could have just as easily happened to me!"

I put my hands on her shoulders and stared deep in her eyes, speaking calmly and seriously. "I'd never let anything like that happen to you."

"You mean you'd never _want_ that to happen to me." She gently nudged my shoulder and nodded toward Ryan and Ali. He was carefully adjusting a pillow under her arm and checking her bandage. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then reached for a cup of water and helped her take a sip. "Look, don't you see how kind and gentle he is to her? How attentive he's been? It's not all for your benefit, that's how he _always_ is with her."

"I don't trust him, Roni."

"Stop being such a stubborn toddler, Miguel! Don't you see? Ali has been a mess since she started dating him. And it has nothing to do with Ryan, it's because of you! She's found love, she's found joy and yet it's still out of reach because she doesn't want to risk her relationship with you."

Me? I was causing my sister pain? "I- I keep hurting her, don't I?" I stammered. "Damnit, Roni, why cant I stop?" I turned back to peek through the doorway of Ali's room and took a good, long look at Ryan Rivera. When I first met Ryan three years earlier, he was nothing more than a playboy trouble maker, aloof, lost and going nowhere in life. But looking at him at my sister's side that night, I saw a man who loved my sister, and would do anything to be with her, including turn his life around.

Roni kissed my cheek and gripped my hand. "You _can_ stop."

"Miguelito!"

I spun around to see my parents hurrying toward us from the elevator at the end of the hall.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" My father was frantic. It was unusual for him to show fear, but today it clouded his face, and tears covered my mother's cheeks. I knew they too felt they were reliving a nightmare.

I took a deep breath. "She's fine, just fine. She's pretty lucky- Ryan was there. He took good care of her."

I could see Roni smile and raise an eyebrow out of the corner of my eye.

My father's eyes became wide. "Ryan? Ryan Rivera? Is he the reason..."

I steadied myself. "No, it wasn't his fault. He's a good guy, Dad. He cares about her a lot."

My parents exchanged a puzzled look before entering Ali's room. I watched them go to her side, kiss her and fuss over her (no doubt she was assuring them that she was okay and not to worry). There were more words exchanged, then I finally saw my father's eyes meet Ryan's. I held my breath. Then the corner of my father's moth turned up in a subtle smile, and he reached out to shake Ryan's hand.

Roni rubbed my back. "See? Even your dad can change."

"I'm still not crazy about that guy."

"Well, it's lucky then that you don't have to date him! And you have plenty of time to get to know him before he becomes your brother in law!"

Brother in law? Oh no… Seems changes were going to keep marching on, and I was helpless to stop it.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Miguel Castillo**_

In my eyes, Roni Tubbs was at her most beautiful any time of day, whether she was wearing just a t-shirt and shorts, or asleep with an arm lazily draped over me, with messy hair and wearing one of my old t-shirts. But tonight she was sexy beyond belief. She wore a bright red mini dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, strappy high-heeled sandals, and a bit more makeup than usual. I could barely stop looking at her as we stood in line at the Wall Lounge in South Beach. It almost distracted me from the fact that we were here to join Ali and Ryan on a double date to celebrate Ali's shoulder making a full recovery.

"Roni, this is stupid. Why are we here? I won't be 21 for another nine months, and you're only 17! And that bouncer guy up there does not look like he's messing around. I really don't feel like getting my ass kicked today."

"Oh! I almost forgot." She reached in her purse and presented me with a plastic card. "This is from Izzy."

"Izzy? Damnit Roni…". I examined it closely. It was an Illinois drivers license which identified me as a 25 year old from Chicago. "'Liam Burnett?' Are ? Do I look like an Irish guy, Veronica?"

She shrugged and wrapped her arms around my waist. "I don't know, I just thought it sounded sexy and mysterious. Just like you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Really? You think I'm sexy and mysterious?"

She nodded and pulled me into a kiss.

"Get a room!" Shouted some guy from behind us in the line. Didn't sound like a bad idea, certainly better than spending an evening with Rivera.

Finally we were at the front of the line and the bouncer thankfully didn't scrutinize my ID. I tried not to be annoyed when Roni showed her own fake ID which claimed she was a 23 year old named Angelina Cooper. But I bit my tongue and resolved to enjoy a nice evening with her. I simply took her hand and lead her to a table where we ordered drinks: mojito for her and Cuba libre for me.

It wasn't long before Ryan and Ali joined us and the real test of my behavior began. Ali and I hugged and Ryan held his hand out to me. I took his and shook it, the first gesture of civility between us. It was a start and I sensed Ali's relief.

Ali was the first to speak up. "Well, I'm going to run to the ladies room. Join me, Roni?"

"Sure!" She grabbed her small handbag and followed Ali, pausing to give me a subtle pat on the back, as if to say 'watch it.'

Like a flash, the girls were gone and I was left with Ryan. Immediately I felt my blood pressure rise. Small talk was not my forte, especially with Ryan Rivera who I assumed I had absolutely nothing in common with. I could only imagine what Roni would say: 'Suck it up, buttercup, if you know what's good for you!'

"You know Mikey, we are two lucky guys." Ryan began, leaning back in his chair. I tried not to make a face. I didn't care for having my name shortened, and I only let a few people get away with nicknames. He went on. "It's hard to find some amazing women like the ones we've got."

I wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Yeah, Roni's wonderful. I always feel pretty lucky she agreed to go out with me all those years ago."

Ryan shook his head. "Are you kidding? A guy like you probably has to fight the ladies off, you know what I mean? You're gonna be a lawyer and you're a musician. Chicks love that."

I frowned. How did Ryan know so much about what "chicks" like?

"So where do you think this is headed with Roni? You thinking wedding bells, white picket fence?"

Ryan sure was nosey. "Well, it's still a while off, and we're still young, but after college and law school, I hope we will think about marriage. If it's what she wants too." I made a promise to myself and Ali that I would keep things civil between myself and Ryan, but I had also promised to never allow her to be hurt again. I still felt I needed to make sure his intentions were good. "You know, Ryan, Ali is crazy about you. I think she really takes _your_ relationship seriously too."

He nodded and slapped me on the shoulder. "Don't worry about Ali, Mikey."

"I'll be honest, Ryan. I went to high school with Jake Ballard and I'd overhear him say about you after you broke up with his sister, none of it was good."

Ryan smiled and raised an eyebrow, leaning across the table slightly toward me. "Kid, I heard Jake say plenty about you when I was dating Alicia. I also saw some pretty nasty behavior from you four years ago. But, despite all that, I'm choosing to give you a fair chance. After all, to hear Ali talk about you, you'd think you walk on water." Ryan myst have noticed the shocked expression on my face, because he continued, "Don't look so surprised. You're a good brother, Miguel. Now I know I might not have the greatest reputation or a perfect past, but she's a special girl, I'd never hurt her. In fact… I really love her."

I was surprised. I knew Ali loved him, or at least she thought she did, but was Ryan capable of a serious relationship?

He continued. "Look Mikey," There was that name again. "I know you and I got off to a rocky start, but I really hope that somehow we can be friends." He paused a moment and winked at me. "Who knows, someday you might end up being the little brother I always wanted."

I nearly choked on my drink. That was the second time that notion had come up, but this time straight from the horse's mouth. My little sister? Marrying Ryan Rivera? I was hoping he was not taking their relationship lightly, but maybe I should have watched what I wished for.

"But my biggest problem is Mr. Castillo."

I was puzzled. Mr. Castillo? "Oh wait, you mean my dad?"

"Yeah. I gotta be honest, when I was 21 it was humiliating enough to be taken down by a sixteen year old. But your dad is even scarier. And the way he stares at me..."

I sighed. I had been on the receiving end of that stare many times, especially as a teenager. Most people who didn't know my father well saw him the same way as Ryan did. Even my mother admitted that she thought he was mean the first time they met. Don't get me wrong, he was fairly strict with us as kids, especially me. But he was always there for us and I have tons of wonderful memories of us fishing and playing chess together. "I know he doesn't seem super friendly, but he's a really good guy. He's led a crazy life but he'd do anything to protect his family. Ali's his little princess."

"You know, I never met my dad. I really wish I had. I think things would have been different for me growing up."

"Uncle Sonny and my mom told me about him. They said he was a great cop."

Ryan nodded proudly. "Thanks, man. Hope I can follow in his footsteps as soon as I get out of the academy."

Just then I felt an arm around my shoulders as Roni took her place beside me and Ali sat back down across from us next to Ryan.

Veronica leaned over towards me. "I missed you." She kissed me gently and I kissed her back, placing my hand on her cheek and gazing into her eyes. I suddenly wished we were at home and alone.

"Alright you two, get a room!" Ali admonished. "So what were you boys talking about?"

"Um, sports!" I blurted out.

Ali gave me a suspicious look. She'd never buy it, what did I know about sports except what I overheard while making out with Roni when Ethan watched basketball?

"Yep!" Ryan added. "We were just saying we should catch a Heat game this spring. Right, _bro_?"

I smiled and nodded. "Um, yeah, sure."

Ali seemed satisfied with that. So far so good.

Running With The Night by Lionel Richie began playing loudly which caught Ali's attention. She grabbed Ryan by the arm. "I love this song! C'mon, Ryan, let's go tear up the dance floor a little!"

Before I knew it, I was watching Ryan and my sister moving together on the dance floor. I could see him stare straight into her eyes, and wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her close and into a passionate kiss.

I scowled and Roni must have felt the muscles in my shoulders tense. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth slightly.

"Miguel," she warned gently, "it's okay! Leave them alone."

"Don't you see that, Veronica? Do his hands have to be all over the place?"

Roni bit her lower lip, and gave me a sultry gaze as she slid over to sit in my lap. "Hands all over the place?" She whispered breathily, leaning forward so I could no longer ignore the low-cut top of her bright red dress. She placed her hand on my knee and slid it up my thigh. "Like this?"

I smiled and kissed her. "Are you trying to distract me, Miss Tubbs?"

She giggled softly, and shrugged innocently, sliding closer to sit in my lap. "That depends. Is it working, Mr. Castillo?"

"Sure seems that way." I kissed her again and held her close to me. Now I really wished we were able to "get a room."

She turned her head slightly toward the dance floor. "Look at Ali! See how happy she is?" She nodded at Ali and Ryan, just as he spun her around, making her laugh as a huge grin spread across her face. Roni sighed. "I can't remember the last time I saw Ali that happy." She turned back to face me, her hazel eyes sparkling. "Can you remember seeing her that happy?"

I sighed. "No, I can't. Not since…" I cut myself short, not wanting to discuss that day. "Not for a long time." I ran my fingers through Roni's hair. My life had been in a very dark place when we began dating almost five years ago, and her love helped pull me out of my silent pain. If Ryan did even half of what Roni had done for me, maybe, just maybe, he deserved a chance. And if it meant Ali would be happy, perhaps I really could swallow my pride.


End file.
